Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 10.djvu/558

 460 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. x. JUNE 10, 1022. same period, in Zeitschrift fiir die Neutesta- mentliche Wissenschaft (1921), which I have not seen. ROCKINGHAM. Boston, Mass. AUTHORS WANTED (12 S. x. 410). " A man may cry ' Church, Church,' " &c. From Hood's ' Ode to Rae Wilson, Esquire.' C. S. C. 1. These lines are from the third stanza of ' The Fire King ' in Scott's ' Ballads from the German.' E. W. B. J?ote* on poofe*. British Flags : Their Early History and their Development at Sea ; with an Account of the Origin of the Flag as a National Device. By W. G. Perrin. (Cambridge University Press. 1 10s. net.) THIS book is highly to be recommended to those who are interested in the customs and traditions of the sea. It will naturally appeal to all seamen ; but will also be of great interest to laymen who have 9 curiosity as to the significance of the colours now displayed by British ships, for the mass of information is presented in PO pleasant a manner as to be fascinating even to those unconnected with the sea. Its value as a standard work of reference to the serious student of naval history and to marine artists can hardly be exaggerated. The author has devoted many years of bis leisure to the study of his subject, and has consulted and quoted original documents hitherto unpublished. He is warmly to be congratulated upon the result of his labour, for the book, admirably illustrated with coloured plates by Mr. H. S. Vaughan, is the first really authoritative volume in the English language dealing with the early history of British flags and their gradual development and use at sea. Mr. Perrin has concentrated principally upon the history of British flags displayed afloat ; but has first devoted considerable space to the origin of the flag itself and how it gradually became the honoured symbol of nationality that it now is. In his seven satisfying chapters he deals with every kind of flag that has ever been flown by a British ship, even including the gradual develop- ment of the code of flag signals for use at sea. One of the most interesting portions of the book is that devoted to the history of the Union Flag, commonly miscalled the " Union Jack." A " Union Jack," as the author explains, is really a small Union Flag intended to be flown in one particular place, that is, on the staff in the bows of H.M. ships. But the misapplication of the word " Jack " has become almost universal, so much so that we have the Government solemnly announcing that " the Union Jack " should be regarded as our national flag. It will be news to most of us to learn that there is no evidence to- prove that the red cross of St. George owes its origin as the badge of England to the devices worn on the surcoats of English men-at-arms during the crusades. It does not appear to have come into use as our national badge until 1277, when the red cross first appeared on the pennoncels on the spears of the foot-soldiers and on the bracers worn on their left forearms by the archers. Indeed it was not until 1348 that St. George became the patron saint of Eng- land in place of Edward the Confessor. The white saltire of St. Andrew was adopted by the Scots as a national ensign at a very early period, though at first the colour of the groundwork, now blue, was immaterial. The red saltire of St. Patrick, now incorporated in the Union Flag as symbolical of Ireland, was at first the badge of the Geraldine family, who, from the time of Henry II., held the predominant position among those sent by the English sovereign to subjugate that turbulent island. St. Patrick, not being a martyr, is not strictly entitled to a cross, and the attempt to father this emblem upon their patron saint has ever evoked little response from the Irish themselves. What may be called a " Green Ensign," bearing a harp, appears as the flag of Ireland in a flag book of 1686. Under the Commonwealth and Protectorate, however, Ireland was invariably represented by the golden harp on a blue ground now incorporated in the Royal Standard. In this connexion it is interesting to note that in 1832 an Irish Yacht Club, the Western Yacht Club, informed the Admiralty that as a white ensign had been granted to the Royal Yacht Club (now the Royal Yacht Squadron), a red en- sign to the Royal Cork Y.C., and a blue ensign to the Royal Northern Yacht Club, they had as- sumed a green ensign as the only unoccupied national flag. The Admiralty replied, however, that they could not sanction the introduction of a new colour to be worn by British ships, and that the club in question might adopt either r red, white or blue ensign with an appropriate device. ' British Flags ' is a most interesting and valu- able work, which should be in the library of every British man-of-war and upon the shelves of every naval historian, student of naval history, yachts- man or seeker after information on the maritime customs and usages of a bygone era. Perhaps Mr. Perrin could be persuaded also to produce a condensed and cheaper version of the book, giving a concise history of the flags now in use, for the benefit of those persons who, in times of national rejoicing, so frequently display our national ensigns as signals of distress, i.e., upside down. THE Publisher would be pleased to hear from any subscriber who may have a copy of the index to vol. vi., 12th Series, to spare. JJottce* to Com*ponbent& EDITORIAL communications should be addressed to " The Editor of ' Notes and Queries ' ' Adver- tisements and Business Letters to " The Pub- lisher "at the Office, Printing House Square, London, E.C.4 ; corrected proofs to The Editor, ' N. & Q.,' Printing House Square, London, E.C.4. WE cannot undertake to answer queries privately. WHEN answering a query, or referring to an article which has already appeared, correspondents are requested to give within parentheses immediately after the exact heading the numbers of the series, volume, and page at which the con- tribution in question is to be found.
 * (12 S. x. 391.)